The Puppeteer
by Triple-E-Stories
Summary: TW: Sexual assault, mentions of suicide. / A villain encounter has left Izuku Midoriya with nightmares, depression, and dark thoughts. While he keeps quiet about what happened to him, everyone else in the dorm wants to know. It'll take comfort, therapy, and possibly revenge to help Izuku be his normal self again. / Short chapters * Adult themes * Not suitable for minors *
1. Chapter 1

**[Author's Note: What's cringier- me writing this fanfic or sharing it with others? Please be advised this fanfic contains *sexual assault* and *mentions of suicide*. Use best judgement before reading. This is NOT suitable for minors. This will offend some. If you find this disgusting, you don't have to tell me in a review: because trust me, I know it is. But if you like seeing the little green-haired boy abused like I do, then perhaps you'll enjoy this, just as I secretly enjoyed writing it. Sorry, not sorry. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯]**

The setting sun made Izuku Midoriya's shadow stretch far along the sidewalk before him. He stepped with purpose down the street of Musutafu, knowing the sun's position meant the curfew for U.A. students was quickly approaching. He had a warm feeling, humming along to his music of choice, as he had spent his day off with his mom. The one-off visits were harder to come by now that students were required to live onsite in dorms. Still, he found time and scheduled them in when he could; Inko was always excited to see her son, and Izuku loved filling up on home cooked meals.

His phone chimed and a message flashed on-screen. It was Tenya Iida, asking for an ETA. Izuku smiled as he replied.

[Almost there! Just down the street.] A diligent class representative, Iida enforced the curfew the most strict. But Izuku enjoyed believing it was just Iida being a true friend.

He hit send, then froze. A faint sound, barely audible through his ear buds, stopped him in his tracks. He removed one ear bud and listened hard. There it was again: soft, but distressed. It was a whimper. Izuku turned to face the source and was met with a dim alleyway.

Another whimper. Izuku's heart began to race. Someone needed his help, here and now. But was it safe to face a possible villain encounter alone? As he stepped into the alley, his hand shoved his ear buds into his pants pocket. His fingers felt the thick plastic of his provisional heros license, and it gave him the mental strength to call out:

"Hello?" It was timid, but effective. "Who's there?" The source of the whimper was just ahead, obstructed by a large green dumpster. With fists clenched and reflexes primed, he stepped in to investigate.

"H-hey…" Izuku softened. Before him was a young boy, no older than ten, scrunched on the grimey floor of the alley. He looked disheveled and disturbed and let out a sniffle. He flinched at Izuku's gentle, outstretched hand. "Hey buddy. What's wrong?" Silence as the boy eyed him intensely. "It's okay," Izuku assured, "I'm a hero. I'm here to help you."

The boys eyes never deviated. They stayed locked on the hero while the air stayed thick and silent. Izuku furrowed his brow. There was a weird aura around this boy, but he couldn't quite get his finger on it.

"Are you injured?" Izuku inquired. He tilted his head, and noticed something odd. The gaze of the boy didn't follow the movement of Izuku's head. Instead, it stayed straight. Looking directly behind…

Izuku's swift feet launched himself into the air. He ricocheted off the wall and offered a roundhouse kick to the villain watching from behind. Foot connected with face, and the new foe went stumbling backwards. Izuku landed, light on his feet, and went in for a jab. This time, however, the villain grabbed ahold of him. And suddenly, he couldn't feel anything: nothing but the clenched hand at his wrist.

Time slowed as the panic set in. Izuku was finally able to study his opponent. A middle aged man, he looked old school with round glasses and a straight mustache. But he also looked unkempt, unwell, and just plain eerie. The latter was solidified with an unsettling grin.

"Hello Midoriya," he said finally. A knot formed in the hero's stomach.

"Who-..." Was all Izuku could utter. Speaking was abruptly harder than before, as if something was gripping all of his muscles.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am known as the Puppeteer. My quirk is muscle control, and with just a touch, you become my puppet."

Izuku's arm and body, still positioned to throw a punch, suddenly relaxed. His arm fell to his side and he straightened his posture. The Puppeteer slid his grip to Izuku's shoulder and guided him to the wall of the alley, his feet moving against his will.

"The condition is that I have to keep touching you to stay in control. But I don't see it as a drawback," the villain muttered, wetting his lips. Izuku pressed his back against the brick wall. It was then that he noticed the younger boy still standing opposite him, quaking in his shoes.

"L-let him go," Izuku demanded.

"Oh yes," the Puppeteer glanced at the boy, "you can run along home now, Charlie. You've been a very good boy today, doing exactly what I asked." But the boy wasn't interested in the praise, only the permission to leave. He scurried out of the alley as fast as his legs could take him. "Such a sweet boy. He was my favorite to play with… until I saw you, Midoriya." The villain turned to his prey with a twinkle in his eye. "I watched you on TV, performing at the sports festival. Since then, well, I've been a little _obsessed_. I've been dying to meet you…" He stepped closer, making Izuku's eyes widen. "I saw you on your way to your mother's house. I knew that if I timed it right, I could finally have you _all to myself._ After all, I am your biggest fan," the villain said slowly.

"D-don't-..." Izuku objected as he watched the Puppeteer's hand reach up to his head. It caressed his hair, making him flinch. "Don't t-touch me..!"

"So soft," the Puppeteer cooed. His hand dragged down his cheek and pressed against his chest. "So much more muscle than I expect on a boy your age. You must be much stronger than you were at the sports festival."

Izuku shut his eyes tight. He knew he had to think himself out of this situation, but his brain was jumbled. He had to corral his anxieties about what was going to happen to him, and come up with a plan to stop those things from happening. He couldn't move his limbs, but he could blink and talk and twitch. Perhaps if he channeled One for All and concentrated it to one specific place, then maybe he could…

A sharp gasp escaped his throat. His eyelids shot open in horror, and he was met with the lustful gaze of the Puppeteer.

"I was going to bring you home with me before we played, Midoriya, but I just can't help myself…" His hand was gripping Izuku's private parts through his pants. The hero spasmed and shouted as the villain began petting his sensitive area.

"S-stop!" He cried. Tears began welling in his eyes.

"Now, now," the Puppeteer consoled, "don't get too loud or I'll be forced to gag you." His hand snaked to the button of the pants and undid it, slipping under the brim and inside. Izuku screamed. Never losing touch, the Puppeteer clasped his opposite hand over the boys mouth. Muffled sobs echoed down the alley as Izuku felt every touch of the Puppeteer's fingers.

Waves of desperation and hopelessness drowned Izuku. He couldn't focus or plan with the current sensation overwhelming him. Fear and anger bubbled inside him. Would he ever find an opening to get away? Why wasn't he strong enough to break free of the creep's quirk? Focus, Deku!

The Puppeteer leaned in close and pressed his nose into Izuku's green locks. "Mmm," he moaned after an inhale. "Let's go somewhere more secluded. I want to get to know my hero better than this alley will allow." He withdrew his hand from Izuku while keeping the other planted over his mouth. The two took a step further into the alley, Izuku cried as his feet moved without consent.

"Midoriya!" A distant voice called from the street. It was friendly, familiar and concerned. The duo froze. The Puppeteer eyed the entrance to the alley.

"Who is that," he asked in a whisper. Izuku didn't answer even though he had one. It was Iida. He must've noticed Izuku never came back and went looking. But he hadn't seen them in the alley yet, and with how dark it was getting, they'd be hard to spot. And now the Puppeteer was nervous. "Let's keep moving," he muttered.

Izuku tried to struggle, to dig his heels in and scream, but to no avail. His feet just kept stepping, and the hand over his mouth hindered any vocal option to get Iida's attention. But if he didn't act fast, the opportunity would be gone, and he'd have to be subjected to whatever sick fantasies the Puppeteer wanted.

His eyes looked down to his fingers. He watched as they twitched in response to his mind telling them to move. If he could just get his pointer finger to curl, and fast, he could channel One for All into it and flick, using the move he utilized at the sports festival.

But time was running out. Again, Iida called out to Midoriya, and it seemed closer. But they were nearing the end of the alley, and one turn of a corner meant he was gone for good. He focused all his energy and all of his strength into his finger. He could see it; slowly, it began to curl. Too slowly. His heart was beating so hard, he thought it would surely explode. Sweat and tears rolled down his face. He pictured himself trapped in a room with the Puppeteer, the quirk forcing him to remove his clothes, the villain having his way with him. Everyone he knows would be curious to his fate as he's forcibly abused forever. His friends, his mom...All Might…

Izuku's finger caught on his thumb. He shut his eyes tight and flicked, releasing an enormous burst of power that cracked the asphalt and shattered windows. The shockwave sent them flying backwards to the opening of the alley. Izuku hit the ground with a grunt and rolled several meters, coming to a stop after hitting the dumpster. He groaned and clutched his aching side.

"Midoriya!" A hand came down on his shoulder and he flinched, looking wide-eyed at Iida. "Are you alright, Midoriya?!" He relaxed some upon discovering the touch was friendly. His attention turned to the alley. Nothing but scattered debris, and no sign of the Puppeteer.

"Y-yeah," Izuku stammered. "I'm okay now." Iida helped the boy to his feet.

"I had a bad feeling when you didn't come back, especially since you said you were close by. What happened?"

"I-..." Izuku shuddered and pushed the flashback from his mind. "I had a villain encounter. But it looks like that blast scared them off."

"Well, you're safe now." Iida concluded, wrapping an arm around his friend. The two made their way back to the U.A. dorms together. Izuku, mostly silent, while Iida remained concerned.

"Iida," Izuku breathed. The two stood outside of Izuku's dorm room. "Thank you for coming to look for me. I don't know what would have happened if…"

"The duties of the class rep don't just stop at curfew." Iida said proudly. Then his tone changed. "You haven't actually said what _did _happen, Midoriya. And I can't report something with no information."

"D-don't report it." Izuku objected. "N-nothing happened, really, and I'm not hurt. Just a few bruises in the morning." There was a hesitation from both parties.

"Well, if you'd like to report it later, let me know." Izuku nodded. "Try and get some rest. We have class bright and early tomorrow."

"Y-Yeah...Good night, Iida," Izuku retreated into his room and shut the door. After changing slowly into sweatpants, he crawled into bed and curled up. It wasn't long before his eyes drifted shut.

"Deku!" said the sweet voice of Ochaco Uraraka. "Where were you last night?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Deku!" said the sweet voice of Ochaco Uraraka. "Where were you last night?"

"Uhm," Izuku stammered. He looked around, but it was pitch black. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, his surroundings faded to match that of the alley. His breath quickened. Confused and panicked, he took a step back.

"He was with me," said the voice of the Puppeteer. A hand came down on Izuku's shoulder, stopping him in place. Now hyperventilating, he watched the hands of the Puppeteer wrap around his waist and dive into his pants. He screamed, but it made no sound. "We were having a playdate!"

Izuku felt the Puppeteer's body press against him from behind. He felt like he was being choked, and he couldn't breathe. The villain stripped Izuku naked, and then himself, all while the hero sobbed.

"Are you ready to play a new game?"

Izuku sat up with a yell. His hands and feet were numb with anxiety, and his breathing was quick and sporadic. He looked around as reality set across him. It was just a nightmare. Another nightmare. The third one he's had, for the third night in a row. His sheets were drenched in sweat and his pants were cold and wet with urine. The nightmares were getting worse. They were getting unbearable.

Izuku jumped out of bed and quietly zipped down the hall to the common bathroom. He grabbed the sink counter and looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were red and sunken, his skin was white and pale. He whipped around to the showers and turned the knob. The ice cold water poured down his body. He let his head fall back and began to cry.

"Midoriya," a voice called from behind. Izuku recognized the voice to be Shoto Todoroki. "Is...Is there a reason you're showering with pants on?" He asked dryly. Izuku began to shake. "Midoriya..? Are you okay?"

Finally, Izuku met eyes with Todoroki. He choked on a sob and shook his head. Todoroki stepped forward slowly and turned the shower off. He went to place a hand on his friend's shoulder, but Izuku flinched and withdrew.

"S-something happened…" Izuku stammered. "Th-Three nights ago...when I was late for curfew…"

"I heard from the others, you fought a villain," Todoroki said. Izuku shook his head again.

"He...He had this quirk…" he crossed his arms and hugged his shoulders, his gaze locked to the floor. "Muscle control...I c-couldn't move…"

"What did he do?" Todoroki asked. Silence. "Midoriya…" his voice lowered as he feared the response, "what did he _do?_"

Izuku didn't answer. He stood shivering and sobbing. Todoroki frowned and guided Izuku out of the shower and back to his room. He offered his friend a towel and dry sweatpants and stood outside to let him change. Then he sat next to Izuku on the bed.

"I have nightmares...about it," he finally admitted. "They're worse every night. I'm losing sleep. I'm losing my mind." He ran his fingers through his still wet hair. "He hurt me without even throwing a punch. And kn-knowing he's still out there...I don't want to go out. I don't want to get up. I don't want to-" The word got caught in his throat, and it got Todoroki's attention. He frantically wiped his tears.

"Midoriya...I can't imagine…" Todoroki began. He took a breath to think of what to say; he was almost at a loss for words. Izuku was one of the most positive people he knew, and it was like his light was shattered. For him to be so broken, whatever he went through had to be traumatic. "You kept all of this inside you while among people who are your friends. I know you think you can fight this on your own, but sometimes you need the help of others, and it's okay to need them. You don't have to fight alone."

Izuku pulled his knees to his chest, shrinking into himself. "I feel so...ashamed. And helpless. And just...powerless. Wh-why did I let him…"

"There will always be people stronger than you, Midoriya. It doesn't mean that you're weak. You can't blame yourself. Blame the villain."

"He's out there...looking for me…"

"But he won't find you here. You're safe at U.A. You're safe with us." Izuku nodded, his tired eyes half-lidded. "Rest now. If you decide to skip class tomorrow, I'll catch you up on the notes and make sure Mr. Aizawa knows what's going on."

Another nod. Izuku transitioned to laying. Todoroki stood and moved to the door.

"Good night, Midoriya."

"Todoroki," Izuku replied, "good night." The door closed with a click.

_Knock-knock-knock. _


	3. Chapter 3

_Knock-knock-knock. _

Izuku sprang up in bed clutching his chest and gasping for air. He stared at his door as the adrenaline settled, then his eyes darted to his alarm clock. It was morning, and class was starting soon.

"Deku?" Uraraka's voice carried through the door. "Did you oversleep? We're gonna be late!" Izuku let himself fall back onto his pillow. He wiped the beaded sweat from his forehead and took a deep breath.

"G-go ahead without me!" He finally answered. "I'll catch up!" A pause. There was hesitation, but after a moment he heard footsteps leaving his door. He sighed and rolled from his bed. Slowly and meticulously, he donned his uniform. The poor sleep left his energy thinned.

Izuku unlocked his door and peered into the vacant hall. He cautiously stepped out and walked towards the kitchen. Since the encounter he had skipped most meals, eating only a few morsels here and there to keep his body from shutting down. He wasn't hungry, but he didn't have the energy to face his peers just yet. Cereal bowl in hand, he made his way to the pantry. That's when he felt a hand latch onto his shoulder.

"Hey nerd-" the ceramic bowl shattered on the floor. In a full panic, Izuku swung a One for All charged elbow, narrowly missing Katsuki Bakugo's head, before launching himself out of the way. He slid to a halt on his toes, his eyes wide like a deer in headlights. Bakugo recovered from what was a near miss thanks to his quick reflexes.

"What the _fuck_, idiot?!"

"K-K-Kacchan..?!" Izuku stuttered. "You're...not at class..!"

"Neither are you, shithead!" Shards crunched under his feet as he stomped towards the boy. "What the hell were you thinking with that stunt you just pulled?!"

Izuku backed up until he hit the wall. "You scared me..! I d-didn't know it was you!"

"Who did you _think_ I was?!" Bakugo kept pursuing.

"I-..!"

"Listen, idiot: I don't know what's gotten into you, but you're more annoying than usual and it's starting to _piss_ me off!" He cornered Izuku against the wall, towering over his cowering classmate. "What made you like this?! Ever since you fought that damn villain you're like a scared little bitch!"

Izuku grasped his head and squeezed his eyes shut, forcing little tears out. "P-please...stop..!" He cried. "I-I...I don't want to remember..!"

"Tell me, you little shit!"

"I'd rather die..! I'd rather _kill myself!"_ Izuku's anxieties hit their peak. He slid to the floor with his knees curled up; his hands began to shake, his breathing became labored sobs, and the world started spinning fast enough to make him nauseous. Bakugo watched the panic attack unfold and was suddenly stricken silent.

"H-hey," he finally stammered uncomfortably. "Calm down, you big nerd. If you're gonna have some sort of episode, I'm gonna have to take you to the hospital."

His counterpart shook his head. He tried to steady his breathing, but it was hard to come down from where he was. Bakugo scratched the back of his head and glanced around. He retreated to the kitchen and filled a glass with water before returning.

"Here," he said bluntly. "Try not to choke, okay? I'm not gonna be responsible for that."

Izuku accepted the glass with a quaking hand. He took slow sips until he could get his lungs back under control.

"You don't have to tell me what happened. Obviously it was pretty fucked up. So let's just...forget it, okay?" Bakugo said, sliding his hands into his pockets and looking away.

"I-I've been trying...so hard...to forget…" Izuku squeaked. His voice was hoarse and quiet. Bakugo bit his lip.

"Look, just...Go back to bed or something. You're too out of it for class anyway. I'll get the bowl you dropped. But don't expect me to clean up your mess ever again, got it Deku?" Izuku agreed, but didn't move. Bakugo went about the task at hand, then left for class without another word. When he felt he had the strength, Izuku carefully stood and retreated to his room, promptly locking the door and crying into his pillow.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey y'all, sorry about that unreadable update! Not really sure what happened from point A to point B. Thanks for letting me know, I never would've caught it. Let's try this again! Enjoy!**

Izuku awoke several hours later, again to the sound of knuckles on his door. His eyes peeled open slowly, then closed. He was so drowsy the room spun, and all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. Consciousness faded softly until it was again interrupted with a knock. Izuku pulled his pillow over his head in frustration.

"G-go away, please..!" He yelled. Satisfied with the silence, he relaxed to try and let sleep take him again.

"Kid...it's me."

Izuku tore the covers off his body and lept towards the door. He fumbled to unlock it and ripped it open. Immediately, he collapsed into the arms of Toshinori Yagi and began to cry. Toshinori grinned awkwardly and waddled the two of them into the room for privacy, closing the door behind them. He knelt to the floor and let Izuku drain his built up emotions on him.

"I heard you weren't doing well," he said when Izuku had calmed a bit. "Aizawa marked you absent today, which was a red flag to begin with. But then young Bakugo came and told me you were struggling." A gentle hand petted messy green hair. "I came as soon as I could. What's been going on, kid?"

"A-All Might…" Izuku stammered. "F-four days ago, I was walking home from m-my mom's apartment...There was this boy in th-the alley, he needed help…but there was this v-villain ...the P-" he winced, as if the name hurt him to say. "...the Puppeteer…" Toshinori nodded to show he was listening. Izuku wiped his nose on his sleeve. "H-His quirk ... muscle control… so long as h-he kept a hand on me, I-I couldn't move…"

Toshinori felt a pit growing in his stomach. He didn't like where the story was going. Still, he urged: "Go on, Midoriya."

"H-He...he t-touched me… he s-said he was my biggest fan… H-He put his hand d-down my-... And there was n-nothing I could do..!"

Rage bubbled inside the elder. He had to keep his composure while comforting the boy, but in him was a storm. His fists clenched and Izuku continued.

"H-He almost took me away...f-for good...I m-managed to break free...but h-he disappeared...he's still o-out there...it's giving me nightmares...and wh-when I do fall asleep, I never want to wake up…"

Toshinori felt Izuku's hold get tighter. He was guilt-stricken that something so cruel, dark and destroying happened to the boy he sought to protect. Before he could plan a course of action against the villain, he had to comfort Izuku and help him get healthy again.

"Kid, I'm so sorry…" he began. "I wish I could take that pain away...I promise you, I'll make this right. I'm glad you told me. I know you're really down right now, but we gotta get you back on your feet. You can't be in fear of him forever. It's only going to hold you back." He felt Izuku nod against him.

"H-he made me so...afraid...I don't want to be a-afraid anymore."

"Look at me, Midoriya," Toshinori said, gently but firmly. When Izuku didn't move, he held the boy's chin and lifted his head until their eyes met. "Now I promised to protect you, and I don't plan to break that promise. If you need someone to walk you to class, I'll be there. If you need me to check on you every day, I'll do it. It'll be hard for a while; mental strength is tougher to build than physical, and you know how hard you worked to get here in the first place. But eventually, you won't be afraid anymore. Together, we'll take that fear he put in you, and we'll put it back in him."

The tears started flowing uncontrollably down Izuku's cheeks. He gritted his teeth to keep from bawling, and when he spoke his voice cracked.

"T-thank you, All Might…" Izuku said sincerely. "Just t-talking to you...i-it makes me feel like ...like everything's gonna be okay…"

"It will be, Midoriya. It will be." Toshinori smiled. Izuku's lips quivered as he tried to do the same. They shared another tight hug on the floor of Izuku's dorm. It lasted several minutes.

"Now…" Toshinori continued, "what do you say we get something to eat? You're starting to look thin like me!"

Izuku chuckled and brushed away tears. "Y-yeah, okay."


End file.
